Mechanical engine-starter.



T. J. FITZGERALD.

MECHANICAL ENGINE STARTER. APPLlCATlON FILED JULY 10. 1915.

1,177,504. A Patented Mar.28, 1916.

UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

THOMAS J. FITZGERALD, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

MECHANICAL ENGINE-STARTER.

7 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. Frrz- GERALD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Guyahoga and State ofOhio, have invented new and useful Improvements in MechanicalEngine-Starters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanical engine starters being especiallydesigned for use in connection with the internal combustion engines ofautomobiles and similar vehicles, the object of the present inventionbeing to provide simple and novel means operable by one foot of thedriver, whereby rotary motion may be transmitted to the engine shaft forthe purpose of turning over the engine until it takes up itsown cycle ofoperation.

With the above general object in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement ofparts, as hereindescribed, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation partly insection illustrating the starting mechanism of this invention as appliedto an automobile. Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 22 of Fig. 1taken just in front of the sprocket wheel of the starting cylinder. Fig.3 is a cross section on the line 33 of Fig.1. Fig. 4

is a cross section on the line 44: of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken diametrically of theoscillatory starting cylinder.

In the drawings, the internal combustion engine is conventionally shownat A, and the shaft thereof at 1.

The starting mechanism of this invention comprises essentially a supportdesignated generally at B and shown as comprising a base or longitudinalmember 2 and other bearing members 3 substantially perpendicular to themember 2, the members 3 being formed with openings 4 for the receptionof an oscillatory hollow cylinder 5. The bearing members 3 are providedwith ball races 6 containing anti-friction balls 7 which form hearingsin spaced relation to each other for the cylinder 5 as clearly indicatedin the drawings. The bearing members 3 are shown as fastened to the basemember 2 by means of bolts or screws 7 although it will, of course, beapparent that the members 2 and 3 may be integrally formed if sodesired. The cylinder 5 is Specification of Letters Patent. PatentedMar. 28, 1916.

Application filed July 10, 1915.

Serial No. 39,062.

spirally grooved in its inside wall or, in

other words, is formed with one or more in ternal spiral grooves 8 withwhich cooperates one or more rollers 9 journaled on pins 10 extendingradially outward, at diametrically opposite points from the plunger head11 of a reciprocatory plunger 12 the rear end of which passes throughthe dash or.

floor of the machine and is-provided with a pedal or head 13 againstwhich the operator presses his foot in order to thrust the plunger 12longitudinally within the cylin-. der 5, causing the rollers 9 totraversethe spiral grooves 8 and thereby turn the cylinder in onedirection or theother in accordance with the direction in which theplunger head 11 is moving. In order to relieve friction on the plunger12 as far as possible, the plunger 12 passes through a slotted arm 14perpendicular to the base 2, said arm 14: being provided with recessesin which are arranged anti-friction rollers 15 which bear against theopposite side faces of the plunger 12 which is shown as substantiallyrectangular in cross section. At its forward end the cylinder 5 isprovided with a diametrically reduced extension 16 and provided with aratchet face 17.

18 designates a gear wheel, shown in the form of a sprocket gear, fromwhich a chain 19 extends around another sprocket wheel 20 on the engineshaft. The wheel 18 is provided with a ratchet face 21 adapt ed toengage and disengage the ratchet face 17 of the cylinder, the tworatchet faces be ing normally maintained out of cooperative relation toeach other by means of a' coiled expansion spring 22 interposed betweenthe shoulder 23 of the cylinder and the sprocket wheel 18. The sprocketwheel 18 is pressed toward the cylinder for the purpose of throwing theratchet faces into engagement with each other means of a shifting forkcomprising a rock shaft 24:, fork arms 25 which act to press thesprocket wheel 18 toward the cylinder, and an operating arm or Y hepulls rearwardly'on the connection which causes the shifting fork topress the wheel 18 rearwardly, throwing the ratchet faces 17 and 21 intoengagement with each other.

The reciprocatory movement of the plunger operation is repeated untilthe engine takes up its own cycle of operation.

The mechanism hereinabove described is of a simple character, cheap toconstruct and maintain and may be used in connection with almost anymake of automobile at present in use.

What I claim is In an engine starter, the'combination with the engineshaft, of a hollow oscillatory cylinder internally and spirally grooved,a support in which said cylinder is journaled, a

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner or; ratents,

reduced extension at one end of said cylinder, a gear Wheel slidable andnormally 1005s on said extension and having a ratchet face, a ratchetface on the cylinder to co operate with the first named ratchet face,

means for holding said ratchet faces normally out of engagement,manually con,-' trolled means for shifting said gear wheel to engage theratchet faces, driving means between said gear wheel and the engine:shaft, a foot-operated non-rotating plunger:

Trios- J. FITZGERALD. Witnesses JOHN J. FITZGERALD, GEO. W; EVENDEN.

Washington, I G.

